>> the us house and senate yesterday approved a two week extension on the federal government december 21. seven long-term spending bills away congressional action, homeland security, agriculture and transportation are among the departments that need to be funded. one of the issues is funding for president trumps proposed order law. the president has requested congress provide 5 billion for the wall since democrats do not support. you can see live coverage of the u.s. house on c-span and watched the senatelive here on cspan2 . >> under secretary of state for political affairs david hale poke at the middle east institute regarding the trump administration's policies for iran, us saudi relations and the consulate in syria and yemen. he was introduced by the president of the middle east institute.

>> my name is paul salem, president of the middle east institute and it's my pleasure to welcome you to nei's second annual conference entitled the middle east in 2019, challenges and opportunities for us policy. i thank you for joining us today and want to thank in advance all our panelists, moderators and keynote speakers. our annual conference is our opportunity to bring together some of the leading policymaker on expert and leaders in us middle east relations to examine together the challenges and opportunities lie ahead. this event is being covered by a number of tv networks as well as being live streamed so please silence your phones , but you are encouraged to to he would like to do so at hashtag nei. for conference. >> with today's conference we are nearing the end of a very exciting year. we are engaged in rebuilding our headquarters, and street.

we will move into them in june of next year and the new building will feature a contemporary art gallery, large conference facilities, of the art classrooms and ample office is or policy communication and cultural programs. in the meantime our temporary home on 18th street and been a busy hive of activity every week with panel discussions, conferences and expert roundtables on the recent issues, a vibrant schedule of heart and cultural events and language and regional studies courses and a vigorous communication outreach and track to the policy agenda. keep up with an eis public events or tune into our podcasts and other multimedia outlets, please visit our totally revamped and new website at npi.edu. 28 was indeed a turbulent year and 2019 promises to be no less challenging. slight ability and economic

growth, and is in the throes of regional proxy confrontation.several ongoing civil wars, dire refugee and humanitarian needs and down but not terrorist organizations. in the us itself is going through a period of transformation in its politics elastic and boring. how will states and leaders in the middle east address the challenges facing the region. how will the us administration as well as the new congress policy in the year ahead. the four panels of today's conference will explore aspects of these questions. the first panel looking at challenges facing us policy, the second panel explores out and the region's civil wars, third examine the role of both regional powers and global and the fourth highlights the rise of economic development and we are looking at an excellent group of panelists and moderators to help usexplore these issues . but the anchor today's

discussion then provide a keynote address to start off the day we are honored to have with us the us under secretary of state for political affairs, ambassador david hale. ambassador hale is a career member of the senior foreign service, class of rear master, he served as ambassador to pakistan, jordan and lebanonis i think where we first met . in washington dc he served as a special envoy and deputy special envoy for middle east peace and as deputy assistant secretary of state in the bureau of middle east affairs. he is a recipient of numerous senior apartment awards including in his english service award and the presidential rank award of meritorious service. ambassador hale will deliver his keynote address and has to leave us to attend official business. david, thank you for taking the time to be with us today and the floor is yours.>> iq. thank you very much paul.

for that introduction and allow me to offer my congratulations on your recent employment as nei president, your understanding will be an asset for nei. i've served in lebanon three times so it's been a big part of my life and paul, you may not know this, we had discussed it this way but in each of those three silent, the salem family played an important part in my life. when i first arrived there as a wet behind the ears political officer, paul's mother phyllis was a tiller of the american lebanese community and was a leader in organizations such as amity east beirut which by the end of the civil war was one of the few institutions still survivinglinking america and lebanon together at that time. i came back in dcm and paul was my primary interaction and the relationship was

getting stronger . we had more interactions more visitors from congress, ngos, from around town and they were hungry for information so we often took them to paul was willing to spend his time in order to help educate american visitors on the reality of lebanon and what was the best way to promote american lebanese interests and relationships and when i went back as ambassador i had the opportunity to interact with his father, foreign minister of lebanon in the 80s and who at that point and become the head of the university and one of the prominent educational institutions and lebanon in the north , but he had a special instinct and a way to bring whoever the current and arriving american ambassador was up north, sit down and tell them truths in a very of ocular way about how best to conduct a relationship he cared deeply about so the salem family has played a part in my life and it's great to reconnect with you and it's a pleasure to open this conference and i know

you will hear vigorous debate about what the us should be doing in the middle east to address the regions many challenges and i'd like to start off with a what the united states is doing in the region with a focus on some of the issues in which i sent him of my time. governments across the region face tough decisions. my job is to help our leaders use a full range of american power and influence to encourage regional leaders make choices advance our shared objectives. and consistent with the president's foreign policy agenda where protecting america's security at home and abroad and promoting us leadership through balanced engagement across the middle east. where working with our partners to counter the threat from terrorist groups and states that sponsor terrorism. since the president has made clear, we cannot and should not bear the sole responsibility for stabilizing and securing the region. we continue to earn our partners to do their part to promote regional ability. the challenge lies in how we balance our efforts responding to raising prices

and ongoing conflicts while addressing long-term trends shaping the region's future. one of the current flashpoint is killing the saudi journalists, actually. i was with secretary pompeo when he traveled to saudi arabia to hear from solomon and the crown prince how saudi arabia would handle the investigation of his murder and we ask that the saudi leadership uncover the facts and hold accountable those responsible. so far we've seen some positive steps though morning regarding putting identified a number of individuals responsible. the wrong action in response including revoking pieces and reviewing the applicability of sections under the global magnet the. the same upon our shared interest with saudi arabia remains strong. secretary pompeo said we continue to view as achievable the twin imperatives of protecting america and holding accountable those responsible for the killing of mister'.

when one of our most critical shared objectives is to improve maximum impose of pressure on the iranian regime until it changes its maligned behavior. around running the most significant threat to regional stability. several weeks ago secretary pompeo outlined maligned behavior, ongoing assistance to militias. regional conflicts, support for terrorist organizations, the development and proliferation of ballistic missiles and the stabilize the region. and our partners. we also remain deeply concerned withiranian regimes . human rights abuses against uranian people. and these abuses include around continued arbitrary arrests of individuals solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, opinion association and peaceful assembly. as well as its detentions of foreigners and dual nationals. we see international support for efforts to change iranian behavior pressure, difference and support for the people.

we want every single country on board and this is among the presidents diplomatic priorities. in the wake of the president's decision to cease us participation in the jcpoa, companies face a choice. we pray to the recomposition of the sanctions that have been listed under jcpoa, most significantly we reimpose sanctions on the purchase of uranian petroleum and petrochemical from iran. of the company's presence on iran over the past nearly 2 years are the puppies sections ever on the iranian regime. the second part of the iranian regime onóenablers. pressure is directed at the regime and its maligned proxies not the iranian people. the iranian regime longest suffering and the people in america supports them in their quest or a better life . iranian support for militias in places like syria and yemen along regional conflict

and exacerbates human suffering and both cases we are pressing around two and its rule in the conflicts while increase our own efforts to reduce and resolve these conflicts left unaddressed create openings around around and exploit to extend its influence. in syria, we have three critical priorities. the enduring defeat of crisis which requires not just battlefield victory but stabilization devices cannot reemerge. and in the military presence of iran and its proxies which are significant forces of instability and conflict in syria. and we want to see a syrian political process progress because without it syria will not keep daily, security and prosperity. area of court also need to end its support for terrorism and verifiably eliminate or surrender wmds files and programs and it's essential to create conditions for the sake, voluntary and if i return of refugees and internally displaced persons. in yemen we are pressing all parties to join in a political resolution and

cessation of hostilities including uab strikes from the controlled areas and saudi arabia and the united arab emirates.subsequently, airstrikes see in all populated areas. we support the efforts of un special envoy martin griffith and encourage all sides to work through the un building a political framework for a peaceful resolution. as secretary pompeo said, substantive obligations under the special envoy must commence and third country to implement confidence building measures to address the issues of the conflict the demilitarization of orders and the concentrationof all large weapons under international observation . for all sides and our partners in the coalition to avoid civilian casualties. we are also working to address yemen's humanitarian tragedy more than 18 million entities who do not know where their next meal will come from. if unaddressed, this lack of food to become one of the world's worst instances of

mass. over the past two years we provided $1.2 billion in humanitarian assistance including food assistance and access is a thriving water, shelter, protectionand medical repair . we urge all sides to allow all yemenis unfettered access to such humanitarian aid and commercial supplies including food, fuel and medicine. our engagement with partner in iraq and the goal is also helping to mitigate around malign influence. in iraq the defeat of devices entails continuing along the path to a single, inclusive and democratic government of foreign influences capable of providing security, stability and prosperity for the iraqi people. following democratic elections, iraqis experiencing a peaceful transition and i joined secretary pompeo in congratulating prime minister

and seek your mohammed policy where they assume a new offices. these leaders are supportive of coalition efforts and we look forward to working with them.there is not now nor should it ever be another nations battle. based on thefoundation of our strategic framework, we will help iraqis build their institutional capacity , politically, economically and providing for iraq's own security while fully respecting iraqi sovereignty. ultimately a united iraq is the strongest iraqi and it continues to urge student parties support peaceful solutions to their differences. >> continued not only opens the door to increase iranian meddling buttracks efforts to reduce prices including syria and yemen , reduces the reasonability of emerging external challenges. we have a more positive division of the potential for regional collaboration. if all the middle east alliance.and in new york several weeks ago the president outlined it. regional strategicalliance for us , the bcc jordan and egypt , to advance prosperity, stability and security in the

region. it holds the potential to improve the way these things work together on the recent defenses against internal and external threats, and trade linkages and energy security. secretary pompeo brought the foreign ministers together with egypt and jordan since the first time the rest began to deepen this discussion on regional unity and our work to resolve these conflicts i've justreviewed and build partnerships help to stabilize the region , and close the opportunities that you ran is using to expand its influence. beyond our strategic efforts to counter that influence, we are addressing some of the reasons other regional conflicts. we've seen these conflicts radiate stability, threatening not only security but the security of our closest allies in europe and elsewhere . in libya we are working with the support mission and the un special representative to advance a political reconciliation process toward an inclusive constitutional process and credible peaceful

and well-prepared elections. we support elections as soon as possible with artificial deadlines and a rust process would be counterproductive. our support for the un focuses on the necessary technical and security groundwork for elections. international community will be most effective when it speaks with one voice in support of special representative salon and mediation to curb any attempt to impose a military solution which would only plunge libya into further chaos and the recent escalation of violence in tripoli highlights that the political track alone is insufficient. it must be coupled with economic reform. without stability no effective political mediation much less a solution can happen. instability opens the door for isis and al qaeda resurgence. we support comprehensive subsidy reform to revitalize the libyan economy and we collaborate with the un to

provide a much-needed libyan led dialogue, successful transparency and successful grievances, resource distribution. the administration has stepped up its engagement on the western sahara. i met with both moroccan and algerian foreign ministers and i am encouraged by their agreement to participate in upcoming talks in geneva. during negotiations on the offices of the personal envoy , a lasting and mutually acceptable solution to the people of the western sahara. resolving the conflict will unlock greater regional cooperation. so as you heard, we certainly have our hands full with the regions, many conflicts and ongoing crisis yet we cannot neglect the broader trends that will shape our engagement in the middle east for years to come. there are two trends to which i pay increasingly close attention. the first is the slow, methodical and renewed effort

of other external powers vying for influence in the region. the president's national security strategy identified an era of competition emerging in world politics. it leads just as it has been historically. russia seeks to undermine american influence in institutions of international order, worldwide in the middle east is no exception, russia's intervention in syria the assad regime from certain defeat although they are in no means fully aligned we seek common ground with russia to advance the goal of a syria re-from the presence of iranian proxies and syrian security forces. those forces destabilize the region and serve only the interest of tehran, not those of the syrian people or its neighbors. despite our low level of trust we must engage russia while assessing actions to follow through on its commitments starting with russia's commitment to implement un security council resolution 2254 and in afghanistan, russia continues

to strike police negotiations with the taliban rather than meaningful discussion and we've seen in libya russia is encouraging parties to continue fighting when the rest of us are hurting them to come to the negotiation table. china is also seekingto expand its influence , primarily through investing in trade and infrastructure and while china's belt and wrote initiative is focused on east and south asia, and extends into parts of the middle east and already china is the largest customer or saudi arabian oil. a pledged $1 billion in investments in the free-trade zone area as we've seen elsewhere, chinese trade and investment comes with strings and can produce a death trap, a strategy to create long-term pendency that benefit the chinese state and economic institutions, not the recipients of these loans. this chinese influence runs

counter to our model in which we incentivize market-based reforms to help nations grow economically without jeopardizing their own sovereignty. we've encouraged commercial tiesbetween the us private sectorand the region , helping the us company invest in iraq, make more efficient use of the gas , selling power generation equipment in libya or iraq to increase electricity output, investment in the region help us and our partners. the socioeconomic and demographic pressures facing the region are the second long-term challenge that i am focused on. corrupt system that circulates, not the people have taken a toll. lasting stability is possible only in societies of the middle eighth that face up to these challenges. america can only do so much area we offer assistance to our partners, those that are supportive of american bowls.

we asked our partners to make necessary reforms to spur economic growth and job creation, only the private sector can create the level of job growth needed by an ever burgeoning population. tracking the level of investment requires moving from an economic model to attack the status quo through corruption to a sensibly regulated environment that encourages private-sector growth and opportunity. we support reforms that unlock that opportunity, increase transparency and improve the delivery of basic services and we stand ready to work with our partners who have the courage and leadership to do just that and to address these challenges as we see the stability, peace and prosperity of the people of the middle east so desperately want but their leaders and their neighbors have all too often failed to deliver. thank you for your time today . thank you david very much. >> when the new congress takes office in january, it

will have the youngest divers freshman class in recent history. new congress, new leaders. watch it live on c-span. >>. >> when the 116 congresscomes into session on january 3, democrats will take the majority. nancy pelosi has been nominated by her party the speaker of the house . any lawyer will become majority leader, james clyburn will be the democratic with while new york's hiking jeffries will be democratic caucus chair. on the republican side kevin mccarthy will be minority leader, the police as minority whip mister cheney has a republican conference chair and on the counter having the national republican congressional committee. on january 3, watch the house on c-span in the senate on cspan2. new congress, new leaders, watch the process unfold on cspan2. >>